On pace for NFL scoring record, Lawrence Tynes doubts he’ll break it

Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes is on pace to break the NFL’s all-time record for points in a season. But he’s skeptical that he’s going to do it.

Tynes has 94 points halfway through the season, with 24 field goals and 22 extra points, which puts him on pace to set a new NFL record with 188 points. However, Tynes says that the game situations that have led to him scoring a lot of points over the first half of the year aren’t likely to repeat themselves over the second half of the year.

The highest-scoring season in NFL history belongs to former Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who scored 186 points on 31 touchdowns in 2006. When Tomlinson set that record, he was breaking a 46-year-old mark set by former Packers running back and kicker Paul Hornung, who in 1960 scored 15 touchdowns, 15 field goals and 41 extra points. Hornung’s 176-point season is still No. 2 in NFL and still the most impressive scoring season by any player ever when considering the context: Hornung did it in a 12-game season in which the highest-scoring team in the league had 362 points. Tomlinson broke Hornung’s record in a 16-game season in which 10 teams scored more than 362 points.

The record for points in a season by a kicker was set by San Francisco’s David Akers last year, when he scored 166 points on 44 field goals and 34 extra points. That’s a record Tynes has a good chance of breaking.

Also, he is on pace to tie his PAT points from last year. So yes, while the increase in field goals from the 20-29 yard range does point to stalling in the red zone, combining these numbers actually show how the Gianta have been able to drive down the field more consistently than last year. They just need to punch it in more!

And to think, this guy was let go from the Chiefs in favor of 3rd round pick Justin (cut after 3 NFL games) Medlock, thanks Herm..

situsavaisprier says:Nov 3, 2012 10:25 PM

Really a combination of Giants offense struggling in that area, questionable play calling, and better play by the oppositions defense. As a Giants fan I sure as hell hope he doesn’t break it, as that means less td’s and more field goals. Looking at certain opponents that won’t slide.

To be a true breaking of Hornung’s record, Tynes would have to do it in 12 games because that’s the number of games in which Hornung played when he set the record. Kind of like Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record being a bit watered down because he took 16 games while O.J. Simpson is the only one to rush for 2000 yards in a 14-game season. Let’s see Tynes (or anyone else, for that matter) score 177 points in 12 games. Probably will never be done. Hornung’s record is probably one of those “unbreakable” ones. Another would be Ernie Nevers’ record of scoring 40 points in a single game.